


Invites

by JOHNLOCKISGO



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternative Universe - business rivals, Banter, Business Rivals, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, First Kiss, Pepper is a sass queen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 15:59:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18594610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JOHNLOCKISGO/pseuds/JOHNLOCKISGO
Summary: Tony has invited Pepper to lots of events. It was usually to gloat or make sure she was there when he made a threat to her company. Sometimes it was so he could feel someone envy him, or because he wanted to confront her. And maybe lately, he just wanted to see her. But it was the time he wanted nothing more than Pepper not being there, that really mattered.





	Invites

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this [post](http://generalantiope.tumblr.com/post/183697183758/generalantiope-enemies-to-lovers-au-pepper-and)  
> Pepperony isn't really my OTP, but with this prompt, I couldn't resist. I hope I got Pepper right.

**Tony’s POV**

People say near-death experiences make you review your life differently. Tony would definitely say that is true. What people don’t say, however, was that it made you think really weird thoughts.

Well, this time, it was a memory of meeting with one Virginia Potts.

Tony remembers bursting into her office, uninvited, unwelcomed and definitely unwanted, with the excuse that he is Tony Stark and can and will do anything he wants.

“It’s fine, she wants me here, she just doesn’t know she wants me here,” Tony told Potts’ secretary. Before the woman could say another word, he walked through the doors of Potts’ office.

Potts didn’t look up from her papers, raising her hand, telling Tony to wait while she finished her call. Unfortunately for her, Tony had neither patience nor composure.

In a swift movement, he took the phone from her hand, “Sorry, she’ll call you back,” and then proceeded to hang up.

Potts looked up at him, appalled, but when she recognized who it was, she quickly narrowed her eyes, not at all surprised anymore; rather, disapproving. “That was important,” she said coldly.

“I’m more important,” he assured her, “and probably much more interesting.”

“Interesting is one word to describe you,” she muttered under her breath.

Tony brushed it off, chuckling and sunk into the chair opposite her. “You must be wondering why I came to annoy you today.”

“Yes, I am. Can’t you just pay people to be annoyed by you?”

The comment stung a bit, but Tony didn’t falter, “None as pretty as you, Pepper.”

Potts scanned him again, “If you won’t call me by my first name, at least don’t give me a nickname.”

“No can do, everyone needs a nickname. You are lucky I’m not calling you Virginity.” Tony spread his arms, saying ‘what can you do’, “Besides, Ms. Potts gives me _Beauty And The Beast_ flashbacks.”

Potts donned a tight-lipped smile, “Really, Mr. Stark, let’s just get this over with.”

 _Straight to business,_  Tony could appreciate that in a person. “I am willing to pay 100 million dollars for your intellicorps.”

“No.”

Tony huffed in annoyance but quickly smiled, trying to be as charming as possible. Some might say it was too late for that, but Tony believed he could prove them wrong. “That’s fair, you’re a serious company and that is not a high enough price. 200 million.”

“Still no.”

“300?”

Potts shook her head and signed a few papers while she’s at it, clearly not interested.

“400 and some stocks.” He could have bargain his way through the stocks, he just needed her attention.

Potts scoffed, “Please.”

Tony knew he was drawing near the cutting line. He didn’t really have anything to do but make the last suggestion. “500 million. Final offer.”

Pepper smiled at him, feign politeness and savagery written all over her face. When Tony remembers the next words she had said, while batting her pretty eyelashes at him, he has the strong urge to skin something. At that moment, he focuses on building a suit in a cave in Afghanistan.

“Mr. Stark...”

_He slams the hammer into the burning metal to shape into place._

“...In case you’ve forgotten...”

_Slam slam._

“...I don’t do deals…”

_Whack whack._

“...With weapon manufacturers...”

_Swiss whack slam swiss whack slam swiss whack slam._

He didn’t know why that single sentence angered him so much, but it did. When he was called Merchant of Death, he didn’t care. When he was called a slut, he didn’t give a fuck.

Yet, when Ms. Potts called him what he was, his blood was boiling. All he wanted to do was prove her wrong, make her take those words back, make her regret not doing business with him.

So, he decided that when he got out of this cave, he would do just that.

~~~

**Pepper’s POV**

When Tony Stark was kidnapped just a week after his annoying visit to her office, she didn’t really care. ‘Good,’ she thought, ‘the fewer people like him, the better.’ Of course, she didn’t wish him death and suffering, but she wasn’t concerned. The thought of Stark’s weapons being used against them has crossed her mind and made her slightly panicked, but if she was honest they were being used against them before already. So would anything really change?

She did grow intrigued, however, when he requested her presence at an emergency press conference when he got back. _Why did Stark call a press conference so soon after his rescue? What happened to him in Afghanistan? Why did he want her there?_

However, she wasn’t an impulsive person, and curiosity was certainly not enough to make her do something, especially not if she was busy.

“Regina, what is my schedule today?” she asked, looking at the invite in her Gmail.

“Um,” Regina looked at her schedule. For a moment she didn’t answer, then she gasped. To both of their surprise, Regina found it empty, “I could have sworn that you had a meeting at 4.”

Before Virginia could try to understand how that happened, a text appeared on her phone.

‘I can’t delete paperwork like your schedule, but maybe I might if you won’t come.’

Virginia growled in anger. ‘What you are doing is illegal,’ she texted back.

‘Sue me.’

In fury, and with apparently nothing to do, she asked her driver to drive her to the stupid press conference.

When she arrived, she found a lot of reporters sitting on the floor, in front of Tony Stark, eating a cheeseburger. She would have scoffed at his unprofessional behavior, but he seemed to be wounded and was also talking about his father. That made her pause her quest to murder him.

“I didn’t get to say goodbye to my father,” he said, “there are questions I would have asked him… I- I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did… If he was conflicted or if he ever had doubts.”

Virginia thought she knew where this was going which made her uneasy. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she knew.

“Or if he was every inch of the man we all knew from the newsreels.”

‘How well did Stark know his father?’ she wondered, ‘How could he not know this?’

“I saw young Americans killed,” Tony’s voice shook, “by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability.”

She had to agree on that. It was good that Stark said that. The reporters seemed to disagree, though, some started asking questions.

“What happened?” one of them asked after Tony nodded at him.

Tony seemed to get more passionate in his tone, standing up, “I had my eyes opened! I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up.”

Pepper snorted, half from the way he described his job, half from doubt.

“And that is why, effective immediately,” he said proudly, “I am shutting down the weapon manufacturing division-”

The end of his speech was swallowed down by reporters swarming in (Obadiah Stane included) with thoughts to add on his statement. Virginia has toned them out. She was shocked. She could practically hear the stocks dropping.

Tony kept on bubbling, but Obadiah took over for him, saying something about not taking what he said seriously.

She knew that wouldn’t happen. Stark always got what he wanted, all rich people were like that. But damn, if Virginia didn’t judge wrongly what he wanted.

On his way through his small crowd, Stark found her, feigned cordiality at her, before saying “I guess I don’t make weapons now.”

She smiled tightly back, “We will see.”

She had no idea why she said it, but it sure as hell made a satisfying effect, making Stark storm off.

~~~

**Tony’s POV**

Tony’s next invite dispatched about a year later, to the Stark Expo. He wasn’t sure if Pepper would come, but he knew it was important that she would come. He was about to make a threat to her company, and it would be a shame if she wasn’t there to witness it. He had his tactics to make her come, but he didn’t need to.

‘Will you let me go if I don’t come?’

‘Believe me, I think you’ll want to be here.’

‘Why?’

‘So you can personally murder me.’

Tony hoped he made Pepper laugh with his quip.

He knew Pepper would hate his whole flashy entrance; the gratuitous dance routine and his very cocky speech; so he made sure to find the most unimpressed person in the crowd (which was hard with all the cheers of his adoring fans).

“Please, it’s not about me,” Tony scanned the crowd for red hair and an annoyed expression, “It’s not about you. It’s not even about us. It’s about legacy.”

His original speech was just about the Stark Expo. But since Ms. Potts was so kind to let the world know, so close to Tony’s huge event, that she will create a famine-free future, Tony had to mix it up. If he was going to leave this world, he was going to leave it with Pepper seeing red.

“It’s about what we leave behind for future generations. That is what the Stark Expo is about! For the first time, since 1974, the best and brightest men and women of nations and corporations will pool their resources, share their collective visions, to leave behind a brighter future!”

He could almost see in his mind Pepper’s smug look, thinking he is all talk and no show. She won’t know what hit her.

“And I know, I know, many have promised this before me. Many haven’t succeeded,” he flashed his crowd a smile, finally spotting Pepper, “I’m sure you’ve all heard of Potts Industries’ Intellicorps and their dream for a famine-free future. I’m here to do you one better.”

Pepper seemed to suddenly be very interested in what he was saying, and slightly pissed.

“It’s my great pleasure to assure you that in this Stark Expo, with better infrastructure and tech, we will end world famine this year!”

A round of cheers and applause came but all Tony cared about was winking at a fuming Pepper. His last year to live will be fun with this rivalry.

**~~~**

**Pepper’s POV**

When the invite came in this time, Virginia was happy to go. Thrilled, really. Her company was doing better than Stark’s and it was for a good reason. She knew he would want to confront her, but she couldn’t care less. He had no proof, Virginia made sure of that. For once, she was better than Stark.

The invites Stark sent her always came with promises of information she wanted to hear or things he wanted to show off. Once or twice, she was allowed not to go when Stark hadn’t hacked her computers. This time there wasn’t even a hack. But she went. She went and enjoyed it.

“May I have this dance?” Stark approached. To be honest, she expected him to ask her for a moment alone. More private and professional. But she supposed it was better this way. If he wanted to murder her, there were witnesses. Besides, she knew it wasn’t anything sexist. Stark was flirty with everyone, even guys.

Still, she’ll make Stark squirm just this time. Virginia smiled, “I don’t like dancing.”

“It’s okay, I’ll lead,” he assured her, all but dragging her to the dance floor. Or he dragged her to whatever the designated dancing space in galas was called. So much for making Stark writhe.

Stark was edgy tonight, _God knows why_. She had seen him in plenty of moods whenever he invited her. Sometimes he was flashy, others he was teasing, more than occasionally he was playful, and almost always he was supercilious. But all of those were good moods. In the papers were the only times she saw him in other moods. Drunk, suicidal, tired, trying to keep it together. It seemed like the newspapers almost wanted him to fall apart. He was better lately, ever since he announced he was building Stark Tower.

Point was, he was never in a bad mood in front of her. But now he was.

“You’ve seen movies, right?”

Virginia huffed, “I know how to dance, Stark, it’s just not my thing.”

Stark sighed. They started to sway. “Sorry, I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You see, I’m a little on edge, because someone has seemed to steal my design.”

_She was so mad she could have killed someone. Preferably Stark. He was doing better than her and it was annoying. But it was only luck. If he would just give someone the recipe for his arc-reactor, anyone could do anything better than him. Besides, Stark was always playing dirty. Maybe it was time she did, too._

“Oh, really?” Virginia teased, “You should probably protect your computer better. You’ll get hacked again if you don’t.”

_With Stark distracted with some pretty face she had hired, she snuck into his office with the password to his computer. It was a good thing she had a good relationship with a spy._

“I don’t think it was something like that. Whoever did this came into my office.” Virginia’s heart rate jumped a beat. She knew he knew, but she didn’t know he also knew _how_ it was done. Could he maybe have proof?

_She made sure there were no cameras. Natasha warned her about JARVIS but she hoped she could delete the evidence from Tony’s computer._

“Unrelated, I noticed your Potts Power battery looks a lot like my arc-reactor.” _Yeah, sure. Unrelated._

_Stark really didn’t know how to label files. She had to click almost every one of them to finally find the design for the arc-reactor. The files’ names were that unclear._

“Are you accusing me of stealing your tech?” she forced herself to smile, and seemed calm, “Potts Power actually works, unlike anything you make.”

_“Jackpot,” she smiled when she found what she was looking for. She put her flash drive into Stark’s computer, waiting for the file to load._

“My arc-reactor works. I’m alive.”

_She searched for the records of the last five minutes for a while, until she found an app called JARVIS._

Virginia scoffed, “First of all, there are some rumors that it used to not work. Second of all, the arc-reactor isn’t even made by you. It’s an idea that you improved.”

_She quickly deleted the AI’s memory of her meeting. Stark did make easy to manage apps, she’ll give him that._

“That’s beside the point. The point is I’m the only one who knows the ins and outs of this little thing,” he tapped his chest, “and I know you know it too...”

_She logged out of Stark’s computer, getting out of his chair._

“...And I have proof...”

_She tiptoed her way through the room, as silent as she could be._

“...But I think I won’t report you.”

_She closed the door slowly, making her way to the elevator._

“Why?”

_She exited the building, getting into her car._

“You’re a good dancer.”

_The job was done._

He left her with her mouth hanging, between people dancing, to talk to someone else. She had no idea why he would do that, but for some reason, it made her madder. And maybe something else, something she couldn’t identify.

**~~~**

**Tony’s POV**

Tony was happy. He was buzzing with glee. And possibly gloating.

His tower was built, he was helping Earth, he was an Avenger, he was loved and adored, he was doing absolutely amazing. Okay, maybe not completely amazing, but nothing not-sleeping can’t fix.

Before he could be gloomy again, stuck in a whirlpool of his own thoughts, he spotted Pepper in his house warming party.

Oh, just what he was looking for.

“You look good. Didn’t recognize you,” he teased.

Pepper smiled one of her infamous fakes. It was one of the best in the world, second to Tony’s own. “Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m sure every girl in the world has heard it from you, but I still appreciate it.”

“Sounds a little like you don’t,” Tony remarked.

“Take what you can get, Stark.”

“Excellent advice. So, what do you think?”

“About Stark Tower?”

Tony smirked, “Nice, right?”

“Very,” Pepper remarked. Say what you want about Pepper Potts, but she was always honest about her opinions. She took a drink from a passing waiter, but didn’t drink it. “You know, I’ve been trying to finance Potts Tower for about a decade.”

Yes, he did know that. Part of the reason why he wanted her here. “You should try having billions and being a superhero.”

Pepper narrowed her eyes at him, but before she could say anything, they both felt the flash of a camera.

“Oh, smile!”

They turned to the camera as Pepper mumbled something along the lines of “I’m going to kill you.”

“Get in line.”

Annoying the hell out of Pepper seemed to be a good form of entertainment, so he kept at it for most of the night. It was better than making small talk with the rest of his guests.

“Don’t you have other people to bother?”

“It’s my party, I’ll bother whoever I want.”

Pepper huffed, “Your guests will be mad at me.”

“My guests will be fine. Enjoy me while you have me.”

“I don’t think I ever enjoyed you.”

“But at least you aren’t bored.”

Pepper smiled, “I’ve got to go, Tony.”

That single _Tony_ made his heart skip a beat. It was odd, but it was what happened. He always liked their frenemy relationship, but he never liked Pepper. Still, his heart skipped a beat.

He was giving this too much attention. He had a heart condition. It just happened to happen after Pepper said his first name.

“I’ll see you around.”

“I’m sure you will make sure of that.”

Tony watched as she walked into the elevators and disappeared from his sight.

When he thought about it, though, he hadn’t thought about New York all night. He hadn’t thought about portals all night. He hadn’t wanted to escape to his workshop all night. He hadn’t thought about what was coming all night. He hadn’t thought about aliens all night.

He had thought about conversation topics all night. He had thought about how good the alcohol was all night. He had thought about how to get Pepper to stay longer all night. He had thought about how pretty Pepper looked all night.

And now he had butterflies.

‘You have a crush,’ a Rhodey-sounding voice told him.

‘Shit,’ a Tony-sounding voice said back.

**~~~**

**Pepper’s POV**

Virginia was madder than she had ever been. If that was the way Stark supposedly saved lives, she didn’t feel so safe anymore. _In what world do you shoot things so near a person in order to save someone?_ Not to talk about someone who was a certain panicking civilian with the pain of having a deadly fire virus inserted into her and the ‘trophy’ of the main villain. She shouldn’t have had to be put in the middle of the battlefield for so long before actually being put somewhere safe. And it was an automatic robot carrying her. Couldn’t a robot be given the order sooner?

Virginia was vaguely aware that it was just her panic speaking. She still wanted to kill Stark, though.

“Hey, Potts, don’t go stealing my nanotech when I’m gone,” the suit told her when it set her down.

Her heart skipped a beat, hearing those words from Stark. “Don't you dare die, Stark!” she said, “I’m the only one allowed to kill you.”

She could hear a smile in his tone when he said, “Nice to know you care. I’ll do my best.”

This was too important of a situation to pretend like she really wanted Stark to die and yell after him, ‘I don’t care!’

Her anger turned into worry while she watched the fight from far away. Stark may be a business rival, but she was a good person, and didn’t seriously wish for anyone to die. She hoped Stark was okay.

When Stark came back to check on her, the real Stark, not just a suit, her anxiety disappeared and turned back into fury.  

“What the hell did you do that for?!” she demanded to know.

Stark’s mask came off, showing his own scowl, “I was saving your life!”

“I didn’t ask you to!”

“I know.”

Virginia squinted at him, “I miss the pre-Iron Man Tony Stark! He was-”

Before she could finish her sentence, Stark grabbed her collar and pulled her in for a kiss. After she got over her surprise, she added more to it by kissing him back. His lips were chapped and slightly tasted like blood, the Iron Man armor was digging into her chest, her hands hung awkwardly with nothing to do and Tony’s grip on her collar made the collar of her shirt dig into her nape. It wasn’t a pleasant kiss. But she kept kissing him.

 _Why am I doing this?_ Pepper wondered. She never really let herself think about Stark that way. He was her business rival, someone she hated. But must feel something for him. Why would she kiss him back if she didn’t feel anything? She had no rush of adrenaline or permanent horniness, unlike Stark. The only reason left was that she wanted him.

When they broke apart, Virginia continued her sentence, “He wasn’t my business rival and didn’t get me into trouble and annoy me to death.”

Tony let go of her collar, “Right. Sorry.”

They stood awkwardly beside each other and Virginia wanted to just say something but she had no idea what.

Her hand was forced when Tony put his mask back up and said, “I should-”

“I’m glad you aren’t dead,” she blurted out.

Tony’s mask came back down to give her an amused look, “Thanks?”

“No, I mean I am, I am glad, but that’s not what I wanted to say. I… don’t be sorry about the kiss. I don’t know why but don’t be sorry about it.”

“Pepper, it’s okay, you don’t have to spare my feelings. Though I am glad to find out that something can break your composure,” Tony said.

“I’m not sparing your feelings! And- Wait, what feelings?”

It was Tony’s turn to fluster, “Shit. I... I didn’t mean to say that. No feelings! This was just a… “I’m high on adrenaline” kiss and…” He threw his hands in the air, “Okay, maybe I like you! A bit. But it’s just a crush and I have things to attend to, so I should-”

Virginia smirked, “You like me!”

“Shut up!”

“That’s cute!”

“Shut. Up!”

“I think I like you too, Tony.”

**~~~**

**Both POVs**

Dating was hard with rival companies. Tony thought it was a challenge, Pepper thought it was a recipe for disaster. They didn’t address it until they got serious, of course, but it was still there.

Tony tried to make do with what they had. If he was a dick at work, he would be a sweetheart at dates. He tried not to let his feelings get in his way of work and JARVIS (and then FRIDAY) tried his best to tell him when he was being too Pepper-sensitive. It was unlike him to not try to just solve the problem, but he was too afraid of driving Pepper away with ideas for solutions.  

Virginia tried to solve the problem. She made plans to merge the two companies, hired lawyers to make contracts, thought of the pros and the cons. It was unlike her to let her feelings be the reason for such an important decision (even if it was a good one), but she was too afraid of driving Tony away with letting the problem get worse.

Pepper’s way won in the end, making both of them happy and the merge began.

They fought over the tower, the names, new job descriptions and the Avengers involvement in it all but they were happy and they liked to bicker. Their love and combined forces could make the world a better place and it made them both grin through it all.

Even after the merge, he still sent her invites to their dates and other events. She still showed up to all of them. Though now she had a choice and they both enjoyed it.

And when Stark Tower’s sign has had the words Stark-Potts on it (and the company’s name was changed to Stark-Potts industries) Tony suggested that Pepper’s last name will also be changed to Stark-Potts. To have solidarity with their company, of course.

Virginia said yes to the proposal but no to the name change.  

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for icandothisalldayy for beta reading. kudos and comments are all I want in life.


End file.
